The Last Stronghold

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Humans knew.

And so did the dragons.

The Great War.

A war that raged for decades, driven by differing beliefs and the struggle for control of the continent, leaving only deep scars and immense devastation in its wake.

To protect or to reclaim.

Perhaps that was why neither side could afford to retreat.

And then, the final battle that marked the end of the long, drawn-out war—a battle where humans and dragons gave their all, fought in a mountain range.

As I descended the hill, I found myself speechless at the sight of the fortress before me. This was the last stronghold, built by humans in preparation for the final showdown.

How could one even begin to describe it?

From above, the thick fog obscured the details.

But standing here, at the foot of the hill, the sheer magnitude of the fortress was palpable. It was truly formidable, seemingly impenetrable by any medieval army. The term “impregnable” seemed fitting.

“Who would’ve thought we’d find it so soon after mentioning it?”

“It took us nearly a week to track it down.”

Turning around, I saw Heo Jun-young and Cha So-rim chatting quietly. The other clan members were doing the same, either discussing the fortress or simply staring at it. I clapped my hands a couple of times to gather their attention.

“Well… now that we’ve discovered the ruins, it’s time to start the excavation.”

“Heh. Are we going in right away?”

Our main goal wasn’t excavation but rescuing Ahn Hyun. I made a light-hearted joke about “excavating” Ahn Hyun, but no one reacted. Feeling a bit disappointed, I nodded.

“Yes. There’s no need to delay. First, we should find the drawbridge.”

“The drawbridge?”

Vivian tilted her head in confusion. As Sun Yu-un began to explain, I turned my gaze back to the fortress and started walking towards it.

A good fortress is often built on a strategic vantage point, offering a wide view of the surroundings.

But this last stronghold was different. It was positioned lower, with a massive mountain at its back.

I wasn’t sure why it was built this way, but perhaps it was a last stand, a final line of defense.

“This mountain range is really something. We’ve struggled so much to get here, and now we have to explore the ruins… Oh, what a pain.”

“Cheer up. We’re here to rescue Hyun. And who knows? We might find a powerful dagger in there.”

As Yu-jeong’s weary tone and Hanna’s comforting voice reached my ears, I suddenly felt the ground give way beneath me.

“Huh?”

Looking down, I saw a trench dug over ten meters deep, running alongside the fortress wall. It seemed to be a moat designed to thwart invaders.

In front of the moat stood the fortress wall, towering at least fifteen meters high. At the end of the wall was a circular tower, with another wall behind it, suggesting a double-layered structure.

The height and structure of the walls were impressive, and the fact that they had remained intact over the years was truly remarkable.

A thought crossed my mind. If I could learn the architectural secrets of this fortress, I might be able to enhance the defenses of Magia, which was set to open later this year. Though, being a city run by magic, it might not matter much.

“This fog is really thick, isn’t it? It’s hard to see anything clearly…”

“Indeed.”

The gruff voice belonged to Shin Jae-ryong, and the short, low response came from Sun Yu-un.

“The fog was always dense, but not like this… It feels a bit strange. Clan Lord, we should be cautious… Ahn Sol?”

Shin Jae-ryong, who had been offering advice with a few clicks of his tongue, suddenly stopped. Turning around, I saw Ahn Sol, her face pale for some unknown reason.

“Ahn Sol? Ahn Sol!”

”…Huh? Yes, yes!”

“Are you feeling unwell? Your face is so pale…”

“No, I’m fine. It’s nothing. I just felt strange all of a sudden…”

Without hesitation, I moved closer. Knowing Ahn Sol’s abilities and past experiences, I always made sure to address any unusual reactions.

“What’s wrong? How do you feel?”

As I approached, I felt the eyes of the clan members on us. Ahn Sol shook her head and forced a smile. It was a strained smile.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Go ahead, tell me.”

“It’s just… my heart aches, and I suddenly feel sad… It’s nothing serious. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

”…I see.”

A silent plea not to press further.

Ahn Sol’s face was filled with confusion. Realizing she wouldn’t say more, I nodded and moved to the front. I waited for her to calm down before continuing along the fortress wall. If we followed it, we would eventually find the drawbridge.

Finding the drawbridge didn’t take as long as expected. Fortunately, we had started in the right direction, and after about ten minutes, we discovered an old drawbridge precariously hanging over the moat. Though I worried it might collapse, it didn’t creak when I stepped on it.

“Alright, let’s head inside.”

Just before crossing the drawbridge, several clan members had already repositioned themselves.

We often switched from a defensive formation to a layered one during combat. I, along with two other melee fighters, took the lead, while the priests and mages moved further inside. Sun Yu-un and Hanna, being archers with keen senses, moved to the sides to handle any surprises.

Crossing the drawbridge, we were greeted by the dark entrance of the fortress. As we stepped inside, it felt like an endless tunnel with no light in sight. After confirming there were no anomalies with a magic scan, I signaled Han Byul and Shin Jae-ryong to cast light spells. With the area slightly illuminated, I resumed walking.

And then, I felt the overwhelming silence.

…It’s quiet. Too quiet.

’…This is too strange.’

Walking through the dark passage, an inexplicable unease gripped me. The ruins had seemed incredibly dangerous when I first saw them from the hill with Istantel Low.

It was a primal fear, perhaps? Han So-young had felt something similar and had summoned the queen’s army to scout ahead. The summoned army vanished without a trace.

The sensation had been so intense that I had been on high alert, constantly scanning for any signs of danger. Yet, so far, nothing had shown up. It was as if the fortress and its surroundings were completely empty.

Still, I remained vigilant, knowing that anything could happen once we ventured further inside.

After walking cautiously for about five minutes, we finally came across a tightly shut door. This explained why no light had been visible from the entrance.

It was odd to find a door so close to the entrance, but a thorough inspection with my third eye revealed something.

‘It’s been opened recently.’

Technically, the iron door before us wasn’t fully closed. Its thickness made it appear shut, but the edges of the door and frame were slightly misaligned. Scratches on the frame indicated it had been opened and closed at least once recently.

I swallowed hard. It had been a long time since I felt this kind of tension. It wasn’t the tension of lacking skill. It was the tension of facing an unknown place, one that no one had conquered in either the first or second timeline.

Calming my mind, I placed my hand on the cold iron door. Without a visible handle, it seemed pushing it would open it.

Before pushing, I glanced back to see the clan members watching me with tense expressions. After signaling them to be cautious, I slowly applied pressure to the door.

Creak, creak…!

The iron door began to open with an unpleasant noise. As it gradually opened, a beam of light streamed in.

With a firm push, the door swung open with a sound that seemed to echo through the fortress. A chilling air swept over us, wrapping around us like a cold embrace.

Creak!

At the same time, the sound of a bowstring being drawn echoed through the passage, but there was nothing in sight. As expected, it was empty.

The only notable feature was the fog, which was even thicker inside than outside.

Heo Jun-young stepped forward to survey the interior of the fortress, frowning slightly.

“The fog is surprisingly dense. Even with enhanced vision, I can’t see more than ten meters ahead… I’m starting to doubt if this is really fog.”

Earlier, Shin Jae-ryong mentioned feeling strange, and I couldn’t help but agree.

As Huh Jun-young had warned, even with my eyes straining to their limits, my vision remained blurry. I could barely make out the floor, let alone the interior of the fortress. It was as if we had wandered into a cloud bank.

Nevertheless, the iron door creaked open. I peered inside cautiously before taking a tentative step forward.

Clatter!

Suddenly, a strange sensation brushed against my toes.

Curious, I glanced down and saw pale, white objects piled haphazardly amidst the swirling mist. I bent down and reached out, my fingers closing around a faded white stick.

No, it wasn’t a stick. It was…

“Bones.”

Just as Huh Jun-young had said, they were unmistakably human bones.

I dropped what I was holding and strode further inside. With each step, the ground beneath me clattered ominously. It was clear now: the ground was covered in countless bones.

The clan members following behind me let out low groans as they realized the same.

I halted again, sensing the weight of the situation. Noticing my hesitation, Da-eun and Huh Jun-young, who were at the front with me, approached.

“With our vision so limited, it might be hard to handle any surprises… Kim Soo-hyun, what do you think we should do?”

“I’m thinking.”

I replied while meticulously scanning the surroundings with my third eye and magic detection. Huh Jun-young surveyed the area with me, clicking his tongue and shaking his head.

“This place is definitely strange.”

“I agree. I got chills for no reason when we entered… And it’s eerily quiet, like something’s lurking.”

“Agreed. The fact that the bones are still intact, the mist that doesn’t seem like ordinary fog… There are too many oddities. I’ve never encountered a place this foreboding.”

“Maybe instead of going straight in, we should find a high vantage point to get a lay of the land?”

‘I said I’m thinking.’

I couldn’t help but wish they’d stop talking for a moment. But I quickly closed my eyes and calmed my racing heart.

I was more on edge than necessary. It had been a while since my habit of doubting everything had kicked in.

It was frustrating, but we were in uncharted territory. In the perilous world of the Hall Plain, where a single misstep could cost your life, it was essential to tread carefully.

“Let’s head to higher ground first…”

“Or… why not just go inside?”

As I mulled over Da-eun’s suggestion, Vivian slipped in quietly. She licked her lips before continuing.

“I agree something’s off. But if we can’t see well here, what good would climbing do?”

“So you’re saying we should just go in?”

“Do we have a better option? We were going in anyway, right? Or should I summon my demon army and cause a ruckus?”

“Rejected.”

I immediately dismissed Vivian’s idea.

One of the rules of exploring ruins is to maintain stealth. The goal is to approach the center without drawing attention. Stirring up a hornet’s nest was not on the agenda.

It’s not that I doubted Vivian’s abilities, but that method had proven ineffective in the past.

Having finished my survey, I instinctively looked at An-sol.

An-sol, who had fallen silent, still wore a sorrowful expression. Yet, there was no fear in her eyes—only an overwhelming sadness.

“Ahem. In places like this, the cause is often at the center. Like a plaza or a peculiar building. We should find the source and eliminate it.”

Vivian’s words, punctuated by a cough, made me pause in thought.

‘There’s definitely something inside. I’m sure of it.’

I felt like I was standing on the brink of a storm, a sense of impending doom hanging over me. Many of the clan members had expressed a similar unease. Yet, even with my third eye, I couldn’t detect anything, which was maddening.

But as Vivian said, we had to go in eventually.

‘So, we’re going in, knowing full well…’

”…Let’s go inside.”

In the end, I decided to follow Vivian’s suggestion and ordered the group to move forward.

About ten meters ahead, a staircase rose, roughly twenty stories high. If this was the entrance to the ruins, then climbing those stairs would mark the beginning of our true exploration.

I steeled myself, sharpening my senses, and took a step toward the stairs.

And at that moment…

“I…”

A small voice, almost a whisper, reached my ears from behind.

“…hate heroes.”

An-sol’s quiet confession slipped into my heightened awareness.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Ah, my apologies. I dozed off while writing today, and when I woke up, it was past midnight. I was so startled that I jumped up immediately. ㅜ.ㅠ It feels like my days and nights have completely flipped. I really need to get back to my school routine. For now, I’ll get some sleep. :D